Artwork
Asa Benjamin
Asa Benjamin is an oil painting by the American Folk Art artist William Jennys. It dates from 1795 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:on original stretcher: Asa Benjamin May 1st 1795 Age 31
About this work
Technique & Style
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium documented in both the provenance and material specifications.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, a medium documented in both the provenance and material specifications. It measures 76.2 cm in height by 63.5 cm in width, reflecting the dimensions recorded at inception. The work belongs to the tradition of early American portraiture, characterized by straightforward rendering and modest compositional complexity, consistent with the style of William Jennys.
History & Provenance
The portrait of Asa Benjamin was painted by William Jennys in 1795 in oil on canvas. The work remained in the sitter's family after his death in 1833, passing by descent to Hannah Maria Benjamin Russell (1809-1894) of Stratford, Connecticut. By 1941 the painting was held by her granddaughter, Frances B. Russell of Stratford, and was documented that year by Frederic F. Sherman under the credit line "Property of Miss Frances B. Russell."
It was sold in 1952 to collectors Edgar William and Bernice Chrysler Garbisch - possibly through agent Frederick Fuessenich, from Mr. Aarons of Ansonia, Connecticut - and was given by them to the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., in 1953, where it remains.
The work was exhibited in Stratford in 1889, when it was lent by Hannah M.B. Russell, a fact brought to the attention of the National Gallery of Art by Robyn Asleson, curator at the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.
Overview
William Jennys’ oil on canvas portrait, dated 1795, depicts a gentleman named Asa Benjamin. The composition centers the sitter in a dark coat and white cravat against a plain yellow oval background. The work measures a modest size typical of late‑eighteenth‑century American portraiture and exemplifies Jennys’ steady hand in rendering likenesses for his clientele.
Subject & Meaning
The figure presents a round face, short dark hair, and a neutral expression, suggesting a restrained, perhaps modest self‑presentation. The attire, a dark coat with a crisp white cravat, indicates a man of respectable social standing, likely a merchant or professional, whose identity is affirmed through clothing rather than overt symbolism.
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Artist & collection
Artist
William Jennys (1774–1859), also known as J. William Jennys, was an American primitive portrait painter who was active from about 1790 to 1810. He traveled throughout New England seeking commissions in rural areas and…
